Cross-linkable ionomeric encapsulants for photovoltaic cells

Abstract

Provided herein is a blend composition useful as a cross-linkable encapsulant layer and consisting essentially of two ethylene copolymers and optionally one or more additives. The first ethylene copolymer comprises copolymerized units of ethylene, optionally a first olefin having the formula CH 2 ═C(R 1 )CO 2 R 2 , and a second olefin having the formula CH 2 ═C(R 3 )COOH. At least a portion of the carboxylic acid groups have been neutralized to form carboxylate salts. The second ethylene copolymer consists essentially of copolymerized units of ethylene, optionally a first olefin having the formula CH 2 ═C(R 1 )CO 2 R 2 , and a third olefin having the formula CH 2 ═C(R 4 )D. R 1 , R 3 and R 4 represent hydrogen or an alkyl group; R 2 represents an alkyl group; and D represents a moiety containing an epoxy group. Further provided are solar cell modules comprising the encapsulant layer. The encapsulant layer comprises the blend composition or the product of cross-linking the blend composition, in which some carboxylate groups of the second olefin have reacted with some epoxy groups of the third olefin.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A solar cell module comprising a solar cell assembly and at least one enscapulant layer, wherein the at least one enscapulant layer consists essentially of a blend composition, said blend composition consisting essentially of an Ethylene Copolymer  1  and an Ethylene Copolymer  2 , and, optionally, one or more additives; wherein said Ethylene Copolymer  1  consists essentially of copolymerized units of ethylene, optionally about 10 to about 40 wt % of copolymerized units of a first olefin having a formula of CH 2 =C(R 1 )CO 2 R 2 , and about 2 to about 30 wt % of copolymerized units of a second olefin having a formula of CH 2 =C(R 3 )COOH, wherein the weight percentages of the copolymerized units of the first olefin and of the second olefin are based on the total weight of said Ethylene Copolymer  1 ; wherein R 1  represents hydrogen or an alkyl group, R 2  represents an alkyl group, and R 3  represents hydrogen or an alkyl group; and wherein said Ethylene Copolymer  2  consists essentially of copolymerized units of ethylene, optionally about 20 to about 40 wt % of copolymerized units of the first olefin, and about 3 to about 15 wt % of copolymerized units of a third olefin having a formula of CH 2 =C(R 4 )-D, wherein the weight percentages of the copolymerized units of the first olefin and of the third olefin are based on the total weight of said Ethylene Copolymer  2 ; wherein R 4  represents hydrogen or an alkyl group; wherein -D represents a moiety selected from the group consisting of —CO 2 R 5 , —CO 2 R 6 —R 5 , —R 6 —R 5 , —O—R 5 , and —R 5 ; wherein R 5  represents a moiety containing an epoxy group and R 6  represents an alkylene group;
 with the proviso that none of said first, second or third olefins is a dicarboxylic acid or a di-ester, mono-ester or anhydride of the dicarboxylic acid; 
 wherein the blend composition consists essentially of about 10 to about 90 wt % of Ethylene Copolymer  1  and about 10 to about 90 wt % of Ethylene Copolymer  2 , based on the total weight of the blend composition; 
 wherein about 10 to about 90 wt % of the carboxylic acid groups of Ethylene Copolymer  1  are neutralized to form carboxylate salts; and wherein the one or more optional additives are selected from the group consisting of processing aids, flow enhancing additives, lubricants, pigments, dyes, optical brighteners, flame retardants, impact modifiers, nucleating agents, antiblocking agents, thermal stabilizers, hindered amine light stabilizers, UV absorbers, UV stabilizers, dispersants, surfactants, chelating agents, coupling agents, adhesives, primers, and reinforcement additives. 
 
     
     
       2. The solar cell module of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one enscapulant layer comprises a product of cross-linking the blend composition, wherein in said product at least a portion of the carboxylate groups of Ethylene Copolymer 1 are reacted with at least a portion of the epoxy groups of Ethylene Copolymer 2 to form cross-links between Ethylene Copolymer 1 and Ethylene Copolymer 2. 
     
     
       3. The solar cell module of  claim 1 , wherein R 1  represents hydrogen or a methyl group, R 2  represents a butyl group, R 3  represents hydrogen or a methyl group, R 4  represents hydrogen or a methyl group, and -D is —R 5 , wherein R 5  represents a moiety containing a glycidyl group. 
     
     
       4. The solar cell module of  claim 1 , wherein the first olefin is n-butyl acrylate and the second olefin is acrylic acid. 
     
     
       5. The solar cell module of  claim 1 , wherein the third olefin is glycidyl methacrylate. 
     
     
       6. A process for preparing the solar cell module of  claim 1 , comprising: (i) providing a solar cell assembly and at least one encapsulant layer, wherein the at least one encapsulant layer consists essentially of the blend composition, wherein the blend composition is uncross-linked, and wherein the at least one encapsulant layer is formed by extrusion from the melt at a temperature of about 120° C. or lower; and (ii) laminating the solar cell assembly and the enscapulant layer at a lamination temperature of about 135° C. or higher to provide a solar cell module wherein the blend composition is cross-linked. 
     
     
       7. The process of  claim 6 , wherein the laminating step is conducted by subjecting the assembly to heat and optionally vacuum or pressure.